Cotton chopper and cultivator.



No. 723,444. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903. C. E. DELANO.

COTTON. GHOPPER AND GULTIVATR.

n APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 1902. .No MODEL. SHEETS-SHEET 1..V

"110.723,444. 'PATBNTED MAR, 24, 1903.

l ci E. DELANO.- COTTON cHoPPER AND GUVLTIVATOB.. APPLICATION FILED`JAN. 8,V 1902.

.lo MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'.llllllllllllllllllllllllHlllh PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

C. E. DELANO. .COTTON SHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILE'D JAN. 6, 1902'.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

H0 MODEL.

mi mams mens co.. PHoTc-L|THo., wAsHmnToN. u c.

No. 723,444. PATBNTED MAB.. 24, 1903.

c. E. DBLANO.-

CGTTON, CHOPPER AND CULTIVAT'R.

vAPPLIUMION FILED JAN. Bumm.

ko MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DELANO, OF VALLONIA, INDIANA.

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forrnnggpart of Letters Patent No. 723,444, dated March24, 1903.

Application iled January 6, 1902. Serial No. 88.680. (No model.)

to provide a device that is at all times under` the control of theoperator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device that hastwo wheelswith slantingly-disposed rims, each wheel carrying a series oflever-operated and spring-returned cutting-blades, pairs of said bladeson the two wheels swinging toward each other simultaneouslyand formingan equivalent to a pair of shears.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for actuating theabove-described cutting-blades or preventing their operation, as thenature ov the work and the judgment of the operator may dictate.

Another object is to so construct the running-gear and connect it withthe wheels carrying the cutters that said cutter-wheels may at all timesstraddle the row, notwithstanding the direction given' to the machine bythe draft-animals. This is a very important consideration, because therows are not always exactly straight, and thecomplete operation of themachine is at all times assured without the need of worrying the animalsby having to make them follow the row.

A further object of my iuvention'is to provide vertically-adjustablecultivator-blades to follow the chopper, which may be raised and loweredat the will of the operator.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation' of myinvention; Fig. 2, a top plan View; Fig. 3, a detached view in elevationof the wheels carrying the cutting-blades and the frame in which theyare journaled; Fig. 4, a top plan view of the vdevice with thechopping-wheels and frame removed; Fig.5,a detail view of one of thebrackets and swivel-bars; Fig. 6, a detail view of a pair ofcutting-blades; Fig. 7,.

a View of one of the rods carrying the cutthe frame of my machine, made,preferably,

of a rectangular form and has the draft-pole 2 secured to one end of theframe and braced by bars 3.

4 represents the operators seat, which is of any desired form andsupported by the gooseneck 5 to the rear end of the frame 1. Midway ofeach side of the frame 1 are secured the brackets 6, in the arms ofwhich are journaled the rectangular swivel-bar 7.

8 represents the driving-wheels, which are journaled on the arms 9,secured to said rectangular swivel-bar 7.

l0 represents a frame pivotally secured to the rod 11, which is securedthrough the sides of the frame 1, just back of the front end of saidframe, said frame 10 having near its front and rear ends curved at bars10a and 10b, respectively, which are segments of the same circle.

12 represents another frame narrower than the frame 10 and having itsfront and rear ends 12 and 12b curved in the same degree and directionas the parts 10L and 10.". y

13 represents a downwardlydepending bracket from each side of the frame12, which supports the axle 14, on which is journaled the hollow shaft14, and secured near each end of said hollow shaft 14a is a wheel 15,having a slanting rim 16.

17 represents a circular metal band mounted by means of the angularbrackets 17a to the spokes of each wheel 15, said band being concentricwith said rim 16 of said wheel l5.

18 represents rods journaled in the rim 16 r each rod 18 near the innerside of the lrim 16 of the wheel 15 and has a cutting edge 20a. Thecutting-blades on the two wheels are arranged opposite each other, andwhen in operation, as hereinafter` described,swing across the medianline between the wheels 15, and consequently are an equivalent to a pairof shears. f

21 represents a lever having the handle portion 21 and the two parallelarms 22 each fulcrumed in the bracket 13 on each side of the frame 12.The free end of each arm 22 is bent, as shown at 22, and is adapted tosuccessively actnate the cutting-blades 2O by tripping the rod 18 andcausing it to turn when'the lever is properly adjusted by the operator,so that the ends 22 of the arms 22 intercept the bent ends 18.

18b represents a coil-spring wound around each rod 18 and connectedthereto at it-s lower end, while at its upper end it is secured to theband 17. The purpose of the coil-springs 18b is to return thecutting-blades 20 to their. normally open position, when the bentportions 18 are released by the ends 22 of the arms 22 `by twisting therod 18 back to its normal position. p

The frame 12 and the parts connected therelwith rest upon the frame 10,the segmental cured to pins 26 in the center of said ends 12a alwaysparallel.

and 12b. It will now be understood that the driving-wheels 8 and thecutting-Wheels 15 swing together, so: that the four wheels are This'swingingis controlled by the operator, who places one foot on eachpedal 27, connected, by means of the curved bar 27, to the swivel-bar 7.It will also be understood that by pivoting the frame 10 to the front ofthe machine, as above described, sufficient up-and-down playis permittedthe cutter-wheels 15 to permit them to adapt4 themselves to theinequalities of the ground, means being provided, as will be hereinafterdescribed, to prevent the Wheels 15 jumping upward too far, as mightpossibly be the case if a large stone or other obstruction beencountered.

28 represents beams pivoted to the rod 11 on each side of thecutter-Wheels 15, each having its rear end bent toward the other back ofthe Wheels 15, as shown at 28, and having mounted thereon a diskcultivatorblade 29. The beams 28 are raised and lowered by means of thebell-crank levers 30, fulcrumed to each side of the frame 1, as shown at30, and connected to each beam 28 by means ofthe link 31, pivoted tosaid beam and t-he end of said lever 30.

32 represents a lever for operating the bellcrank levers 30, which isfixed to one end of the rod 33, jonrnaled in the sides of the frame 1,near the rear end thereof, and 34 an arm secured to the opposite end ofthe rod 33.

The lever 32 and arm 34 have each a rod 35 pivoted thereto and having aredncedand rounded end 35, that tits into an eye 30" in the upper end ofthe bell-crank lever 30 on that side of the machine.

36 represents a coil-spring wrapped around each rod 35 and secured tothe bell-crank lever. The purposes of this construction of rod andspring are threefold-first, the tension of the spring assists inlowering the beam when the lever 32 is thrown back; second, the tensionof 'the spring serves to give the cultivator-blades an operation similarto a spring-cultivator, holding the cultivatorblade in the soil exceptwhen a hard obstruction is encountered, when the bell-crank 1ever 30 ismoved back on the reduced portion 35, passing through the eyeV 30, thespring instantly returning the blade to its normal position when pastthe obstruction, and, third,-the shoulders 35, formed by the reducedportion 35, push the bell-crank levers back when the lever 32 is thrownforward, thus raising the beams.

37 is an ordinary construction of segmental rack for adjusting the angleof the operatinglever 32 and the consequent height of the disks 29, 37representing a stop which is used when the blades 29 are not inoperation.

38 represents a bolt slidably mounted in brackets 39 on the side of thelever 32 and held in rack 37 or stop 37 by means of the coil-spring 40bearing against the upper bracket 39 and secured to said bolt 38 througha hole therein. The bolt 38 is Withdrawn from engagement with said rackor stop 37 by means of the lever 41, pivoted to the lever 32 nearitsfree end, and the link 41, connecting said lever 41 and the head of thebolt 38.

42 represen ts a chain connecting each beam 28 with the rear of theframe 10, said chains and beams 28 acting as drags to prevent said frame10 being thrown up too high should the wheels 15 strike an obstruction.

By the construction above described it will be readily seen that the twowheels 15 straddle the row of growing cotton and when the lever 21 isadjusted properly the cuttingblades 20 cut out plants at intervals inthe` row, While by adjusting the beams 28 the disks 29 throw the soilfrom each side to the growing plant.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. In acotton-chopper,wheels having-chopping-blades attached thereto,driving-Wheels parallel with said Wheels, and means to simultaneouslyswing all' ot said Wheels,`sub stantially as shown and described.

2. In a cotton-chopper, wheels having chopping-blades attached thereto,driving-wheels parallel with said Wheels, and means to simultaneouslyswing allof said wheels in parallel planes, su bstantially as shown anddescribed.

'3. In a cotton-chopper, parallel wheels carrying chopping devices,driving-wheels parallel with said Wheels, and means to cause all IOO IIO

with, wheels having cutting-blades attached thereto lournaled in saidframe and means to cause a simultaneous swinging of said wheels,substantially as shown and described.

6. In a cotton-chopper, two wheels carrying cutting-blades, and means tocause said cutting-blades to simultaneously swing across the median linebetween said wheels and to returnto their normal position, substantiallyas shown and described.

7. In a cotton-chopper, two wheels carrying cutting-blades, and means tocause said cutting-blades to successively swing in pairs across themedian line between said wheels and to return to their normal position,substantially -as shown and described.

8. In a cotton-chopper, two wheels having slanting rims, rods journaledon said wheels, cutting-blades mounted on said rods, means to cause saidrods to swing on their axesA in pairs carrying the cutting edges overthe median line between said wheels, and springs to return saidcutting-blades to their normal position, Asubstantially as shown anddescribed.

9. Inacotton-chopper,arectangularframe, the driving-wheels swivellymounted thereon, a vertically-swinging frame supported in saidrectangular frame, a frame supported by said vertically-swinging frame,wheels carrying cutting-blades journaled in said frame, and means tocause a simultaneous vswinging of all of said wheels, substantially asshown and described.

10. In a cotton chopper, a rectangular frame, brackets secured on eachside thereof, a driving-wheel swiveled in each bracket, a frame pivotedin said rectangular frame, a frame mounted to swingon said pivotedframe, meanstocauseasimultaneousswingingofsaid driving-wheels andswinging frame, wheels journaled in said swinging frame, andcuttingblades mounted in said wheels, substantially as shown anddescribed.

1l. In a cotton-chopper, a rectangular frame, beams pivoted to the frontthereof having cultivator-blades at the rear, a bellcrank lever pivotedon each side of said rectangular frame and connected to each beam by alink, a lever and arm keyed to a rock-shaft journaled on saidrectangular frame, a rod pivoted to each said arm and lever, each rodhaving a reduced end portion passing through an eye in the end of saidbell-crank lever, and a coil-spring connecting each rod with eachbell-crank lever, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a cotton-chopper, a frame mounted to be swung horizontally, twowheels mounted on a common hub and spaced apart j ournaled in saidframe, rods journaled in each wheel having an angular projectionthereon, a manually-operated lever having a U-shaped extension toactuate said rods successively in pairs, cutting-blades mounted on saidrods, and means to return said rods and cuttingblades to their normalposition, substantial] y as shown and described.

13. In a cotton chopper, a rectangular frame, a bracket secured on eachside thereof, a swivel-bar j ournaled in each bracket, a driving-Wheeljournaled on each swivel-bar, a frame pivoted in said rectangular frame,a frame slidably mounted on said pivoted frame and adapted to carry thechopping apparatus, a rod pivotally secured at its center to eachswivel-bar, and hooks connecting each end of each rod with the center ofthe corresponding end of said slidably-mounted frame, substantially asshown and described.

111. In a cotton-chopper, two wheels having slanting rims, a circularplate suitably secured to the spokes of said wheel, a succession of rodsjournaled in the rim and in brackets secured to said circular plate ineach wheel, cutting-blades mounted on each rod near the rim of eachwheel, means to cause said cutting-blades to successively swing in pairsacross the median line between said wheels and to be returned to theirnormal position, substantially as shown and described.

15. In a cotton chopper, a rectangular frame, a bracket secured near thecenter of each side of said frame, a swivel-bar journaled in eachbracket, a driving-wheel journaled on each swivel-bar, a frame pivotedin said rectangular frame, said frame having segmental front and rearends, aframe adapted to carry the chopping apparatus having segmentalfront and rear ends adapted to slide on the segmental front and rearends of said pivoted frame, and means to cause a simultaneous swingingof said driving-wheels and sliding frame, substantially as shown anddescribed.

16. In a cotton chopper, a rectangular frame, driving-wheels mounted onsaid frame and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane, a frame pivotednear the front of said rectangular frame having segmental front and rearends, a frame mounted on said pivoted frame connected to and adapted toswing with said driving-wheels, wheels journaled in said frame andspaced apart, reciprocating cutting-blades journaled in said wheels, andmeans whereby said cutting-blades are .made to operate or to ceaseoperation, substantially as shown and described.

17. In a cotton chopper, a rectangular fra me,a bracket on each sidethereof, a swivelbar journaled in each bracket, a driving- ICO acoil-spring on each rod to return the outting-blade to its normalposition, means to simultaneously swing said horizontally-swinging frameand driving-Wheels, in combination with vertically-swinging plow-beams,and means to adjust them at any desired height,substantially as shownand described. In testimony whereof Ihereto affix my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. DELANO.

Witnesses:

JAMES F. SLADE, ROBERT M. WILSON.

